THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1897.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10422, 21 April 1897, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1897.

♦ 1 The practical light in which Canada views the question of pending hostilities in Europeis shown in the Ministerial statement, reported in yesterday's cable messages, to the effect tint Canada should have between 20,000 and 30,000 troops ready for service. The Minister added that the volunteers of the Dominion would possibly soon have a chance of proving their attachment to the Empire. There is a ring of patriotism in such a statement, as well as of statesmanship in providing for contingencies, the incidence of which may not be immediate. So far as we might reason, Canada has no exceptional cause for apprehension from the outbreak of hostilities. The Dominion stretches, boundary to boundary, over a vast distance alongside a foreign though friendly Power, ono wliioh in no way seems likely to give «ny uneasiness, from its connection with any;, of the 'Power* involved " in the threatened : , war. Apart' from the United ,; States, the Dominion appears in a position of com-

parative safety, for except ftt its eastern and western extremities, on which its full strength could be readily thrown, its position seems almost impregnable. Yet in the light of coming events, It is felt that provision should be made for meeting whatever may come, and all the more perhaps from the obscurity that still seems to involve the quarter from whioh hostilities may arise. It is quite possible that Canada contemplates, however, soniethiug more than a mere passive or defensive participation in the coming struggle, and as she has proved on a former occasion her readiness to render active assistance to Great Britain when occasion seemed to call, the desire to have her 1 forces on a war footing may mean the intention of taking a forward part in the defence of the empire.

However this may be, Ounada has tdken the warning whioh the existing state of itffiiil's in Eastern Eufopfl most decidedly gives, and is determined that she shall not be found napping. Whether our distance in these colonies from thft probable centre of belligerency may give us more immunity from cUnger than Canada has, may be doubted, but however that may be, the example which Canada has sot is deserving of our consideration. There seems a tendency in these colonies to practically regard war as a remote contingency, possible indeed, but not likely, and to leave things to drift, thinking that money for expenditure on armaments can be placed iu more profitable ways. Canada's sense of danger has probably been quickened from experience, and from her contiguity with a Power that lias not always been friendly. But it cannot be denied that the existing state of things in Europe leaves no room for a policy of laisiez faire in any part of the British Empire. That this spirit has reigned iu respect of defensive preparations in N»w Zealand is known to ourselves, and is confirmed by the olh'oial report of the military authorities, We have not yet had the expression of opinion of our new commandant, but the repeated reports of Colonel Fox lead to the belief that this colony, though it has spent a considerable amount of money on its fortifications and armaments, and they are all good as far as they go, is yet in a very unfit state for contemplating with equanimity the approach of any hostile Power. Indeed in respect of our own district it has been repeated with emphasis that apart from the naval companies " the force is absolutely useless." Although the same sweeping condemnation does not apply to all the rest of the colony, the condition of things not only as officially described, but as generally known, is such as to leave no sense,of assurance that reliance could be placed on the elliciency of the military forces to give any adequate to the colony. The forts and guns, and the Permanent Force that mans them, may be all that can be desired, but that force being unsupported by a sufficient and sufficiently trained volunteer force, there is only too much reason to fear that in an emergency our forts might bo little more than a snare,

'I'lie situation in Europe at the present time is such that a condition of things like this should be intolerable, and after all the considerable expenditure that has taken place in respect of our local defence, that defence should be pushed to the point of effectiveness or there should have been no expenditure at all. Now that war has actually broken out in Kurope and in circumstances that may lead to its general spread, it is regrettable that Parliamentary Government is in a state of suspended animation. The circumstances have become grave enough to demand Parliamentary inquiry and action, in order to have defensive measures taken of such a character as to provide against emergencies. It is true that our main reliance is on the British fleet, but even to its efficiency it is a necessity that our strong places should be really strong, so as to prove u service to our friends rather than to our enemies. The peculiar complications and embarrassments caused by the actions of Greece and Turkey leave it uncertain what combinations of Powers may ultimately evolve out of the embroglio, and altogether the situation is one that demands both preparation and vigilance on the part of the Government and the military authorities of the colony.